Maze puzzles typically include a maze or labyrinth of passages through which a solving piece, such as a ball, is moved by a player to solve the puzzle. In some maze puzzles the maze and solving piece can be seen by the player through transparent or transluscent walls to facilitate his or her solving of the puzzle. In other maze puzzles, the maze, maze elements and/or solving piece may be concealed to add an additional degree of difficulty to the puzzle. Examples of the former type of puzzles can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,525,738, 2,563,608 and 3,406,971, and examples of the latter type of puzzles can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 839,733, 1,154,136, 2,714,511, 2,998,973, 3,625,516 and 4,465,280.
The maze puzzles described in the above noted patents generally are of a rigid construction, i.e., the puzzle housing, passage walls, etc., are made of relatively rigid material. One result of this is that advancement of the solving piece through the maze passages usually is effected indirectly as by tilting, rotating, turning or otherwise controlling the orientation of the puzzle with movement of the solving piece being primarily effected by gravity. Reliance also has been had on magnetic or mechanical control members to advance the solving piece through the maze passages that may be in the form of slots, channels, etc. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,516 shows a maze puzzle wherein a feeler rod is used to guide a stud thereon through a maze of slots in a container. Because the slots are hidden from view, the player must rely on his sense of touch in order to solve the puzzle.